Forsaken for the sake of others Week 9, 2014

It’s been said before and I wish to say it now. Nothing disturbed Jesus’ equilibrium on the cross. When the nails pierced His hands He prayed and forgave His  killers. Taunts from the crowd drew no response from him. Insults by thieves on His left and right did not disquiet Him. Even physical thirst was under His belt. His mother’s presence at His crucifixion and the inevitability of (her) bereavement brought no agitation. Nothing disturbed His peace but separation from the Father. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, eloi, lema sabachthani?", which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"Mk 15:33, 34(ISV). 

What disturbs you? No money? No food? Insults?  The only thing that can bring darkness to a life is separation from the Father.

So what was happening on the cross? Why would the sense of momentary separation settle on Jesus? Momentary I say for a little later He commits His spirit into the Father’s hands. As Jesus hung on the cross all our sin was laid on His body. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed  1Pt 2:24-25 (NIV).

In the Old Testament the animal would be silent as the priest would lay hands on it and confess the sins of the people. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat Lev 16:21(KJV).  You know Jesus was accused of many and grievous things before the chief priests and before Pilate but remained silent (Mt26:62, 63; 27:12-14). On the cross all our sin was carried by Jesus. God forgave us all our sins; He canceled the unfavorable record of our debts with its binding rules and did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross. Col 2:13, 14(GNB) 

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:Hab 1:13(KJV) Habakkuk confessed.

On the cross Jesus became accursed for my sake. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Gal 3:13(NIV). Pause and ponder the terribleness of sin: As shown in the garden of Eden The Innocent had to die to cover for sin. Then the LORD God made clothes out of animal skins for the man and his wife Gen 3:21(CEV). He cried out so that I (you) might never be forsaken. Pause and ponder the love of God: Jesus volunteered to suffer this way because He could not bear to see us go to hell without redemption.

The next time you have to cry out “Why?!” know there is a redemptive purpose. Innocent Joseph suffered that souls may be preserved alive (Gen 45:5). O innocent righteous saint, your suffering works to bring good for the church! You are broken to feed others.  Now I am rejoicing while suffering for you as I complete in my flesh whatever remains of the Messiah's sufferings on behalf of his body, which is the church Col 1:24(ISV). Be at peace